Self-regulated thermal energy system

Abstract

The aim of the present invention is to provide a self-regulating thermal energy storage system for use in conjunction with at least one thermal energy client. The invention also discloses methods for self-regulating, the storage, and use of thermal energy in thermal energy storage system, as well as a consul for system as defined above. This consul is modulated, unitary, integrated or stands alone as a control system adapted for controlling the heated/cooled system defined above.

1 . A self-regulating thermal energy storage system ( 10 ) for use in conjunction with at least one thermal energy client ( 16 ), which comprising:
 a. at least one thermal energy generation source ( 12 ) for imparting to at least one thermal energy carrier fluid a predetermined temperature change;   b. said at least one thermal energy client ( 16 ) is communicated in series, parallel or a combination thereof to said generator ( 12 );   c. at least one thermal energy storage reservoir ( 14 ), adapted to store thermal energy generated by said generator ( 12 ) at the time that the said client ( 16 ) does not fully utilize said energy, communicated in parallel to a bypass of said storage and in series, parallel or a combination thereof to said generator ( 12 ) and said client ( 16 );   d. a first and a second fluid flow directors configured so that
 said first director ( 22 A) is located in an upstream junction (USJ) communicating said generator ( 12 ), client ( 16 ) and reservoir ( 14 ); said first director ( 22 A) functions to direct the flow of said fluid from the generator ( 12 ) in at least one of two directions, namely towards said client ( 16 ) and/or towards said reservoir ( 14 ); 
 said second director ( 22 B) is located in a downstream junction (DSJ) communicating said generator ( 12 ), client ( 16 ) and reservoir ( 14 ), said second director ( 22 B) functions to direct the flow of said fluid towards the generator ( 12 ) in at least one of two directions, namely from said client ( 16 ) and/or from the reservoir ( 14 ), being interconnected with the DSJ-USJ supply line, via Dc or Dh wherein Dc or Dh is a junction communicating said reservoir ( 14 ) and said DSJ-USJ supply line junction; 
   wherein the thermal energy consumption of said client ( 16 ) equals the thermal energy generation capacity of said generator ( 12 ), said fluid is circled directly from said generator ( 12 ) to said client ( 16 ) via said USJ, and vice versa, from said client ( 16 ) to said generator ( 12 ) via said DSJ; and,   wherein the momentary thermal energy requirements of said client ( 16 ) is lower than the thermal energy generation capacity of said generator ( 12 ), only a portion of said fluid is circled from said generator ( 12 ) to said client ( 16 ) via said USJ, and the remaining portion is supplied by said first director ( 22 A) towards said reservoir ( 14 ),
 in case said generator ( 12 ) is adapted to cool said client ( 16 ) (a cooling system), a cold fluid is supplied to said lower portion of said reservoir ( 14 ) thereby to cause a release of heat from the relatively warm layers of said storage medium in said upper portion thereof, 
 yet in case said generator ( 12 ) is adapted to heat said client ( 16 ) (a heating system), a worm fluid is supplied to said higher portion of said reservoir ( 14 ) thereby to cause a release of cold fluid from the relatively cold layers of said storage medium in said lower portion thereof, 
   fluids provided from said reservoir ( 14 ) and said client ( 16 ) are admixed in said DSJ, and supplied to said generator ( 12 ) by said second director ( 22 B);   in a particular case, wherein the momentary thermal energy requirements of said client ( 16 ) is approximately zero, said fluid is circled directly from said generator ( 12 )to said reservoir ( 14 ) via said USJ, preferably until the temperature of the outlet fluid at DSJ equals the inlet fluid at USJ.   
   
   
       2 . System ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , additionally comprising a first temperature sensor ( 12 S) and a second temperature sensor ( 16 S), said first sensor ( 12 S) is located upwardly to said generator ( 12 ) and a second temperature sensor ( 16 S) located downwardly to said client ( 16 ); said first sensor ( 12 S) is in communication with said second director ( 22 A) at the DSJ via a first processing means (PLVB), and said second sensor ( 16 S) is in communication with said first director ( 22 A) at the USJ via a second processing means (PLVA);
 said processing means (PLVA, PLVB) are adapted to regulate said directors, such that wherein the thermal energy generating capacity of said generator ( 12 ) is lower than the thermal energy capacity (i.e., fluid temperature folded fluid flux) of fluid outlet of said DSJ, said second director ( 22 B) is supply higher portion of fluid that is directed from said reservoir ( 14 ); and,   wherein the momentary energy requirements of the thermal energy client ( 16 ), namely the temperature of the fluid exit said client ( 16 ) is different from a predetermined measure, said first director ( 22 A) is regulating the fluid outlet of USJ in a manner that less fluid is supplied to said reservoir ( 14 ) and more fluid is supplied to said client ( 146 ), and vice versa.   
   
   
       3 . System ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , comprising more than one generator; said generators are being interconnected in a series and/or parallel. 
   
   
       4 . System ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , comprising more than one reservoir; said reservoirs are being interconnected in a series and/or parallel. 
   
   
       5 . System ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , comprising more than one client; said clients are being interconnected in a series and/or parallel. 
   
   
       6 . System ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , especially adapted for both heating and cooling at least one client ( 16 ), wherein said reservoir ( 12 ) is interconnected with the DSJ-USJ line and the client-DSJ in both its upper and lower portions. 
   
   
       7 . A consul ( 20 ) for system ( 10 ) as defined in  claim 1 ; said consul is adapted to control and interconnect modules selected from a group consisting of at least one thermal energy client ( 16 , e.g., three clients  16 / 1 ,  16 / 2  and  16 / 3 ); at least one reservoir ( 14 ); at least one thermal energy generation source ( 12 , e.g., two clients  12 / 1  and  12 / 2 ); at least one first ( 22 A, e.g., three FFDs  22 A 1 ,  22 A 2  and  22 A 3 ) and at least one second ( 22 B, e.g., two FFDs  22 B 1  and  22 B 2 ) fluid flow directors; at least one upstream junction (USJ); at least one downstream junction (DSJ); supply lines; temperature sensors ( 12 S,  16 S), a first processing means (PLVB), and a second processing means (PLVA), chillers ( 3 ), solar collectors ( 1 ), supply or collecting lines (i.e., lines being parallel, in series, bypass or a combination thereof), and/or connections thereof, or any combination thereof. 
   
   
       8 . A unitary consul ( 21 ) according to  claim 7 , comprising an array of connectors (e.g.,  211 - 214 ), at least partially interconnected by a means of a plurality of conduits (e.g.,  215 ) accommodated within a consul's block ( 210 ). 
   
   
       9 . A modular consul ( 22 ) according to  claim 7 , comprising an array interconnectable modules (e.g.,  221 - 223 ), each module comprising a plurality of connectors (e.g.,  226 - 228 ), each of said modules is at least partially and at least reversibly interconnected to at least one, possibly two or more adjacent modules, at least a portion of said modules comprising one or more conduits accommodated within or externally to said module, such as a modular block of interconnected N modules ( 224 ) is obtained. 
   
   
       10 . The consuls according to  claim 7  or any of its dependent claims, adapted to be at remotely interconnected with system  10 . 
   
   
       11 . The consuls according to  claim 7  or any of its dependent claims, adapted to be at least partially integrated with system  10 . 
   
   
       12 . A consul  23  according to  claim 11 , wherein either modular  22  or unitary consul  21  is at least partially immobilized or mounted on reservoir  14 . 
   
   
       13 . A method for self-regulating the storage and use of thermal energy in thermal energy storage system ( 10 ) which comprising at least one thermal energy generation source ( 12 ) for imparting to at least one thermal energy carrier fluid a predetermined temperature change; at least one thermal energy storage reservoir ( 14 ) for accumulating said thermal energy carrier fluid whose temperature has been changed by a predetermined value, said reservoir ( 14 ) containing at least one thermal energy storage medium, which is susceptible to thermal layering, said reservoir having a lower portion and an upper portion, and arranged such that the temperature therewithin is lowest within said lower portion and highest within said upper portion; a fluid conduit system for permitting circulation of said thermal energy carrier fluid in thermal exchange communication with said thermal energy generation source ( 12 ) and into and out of said thermal energy storage reservoir ( 14 ) so as to maintain the thermal layering within said storage medium within said reservoir ( 14 ); wherein said method comprising steps of selectably supplying heat to said upper portion of said reservoir ( 14 ), thereby causing a release of cold from the relatively cold layers of said storage medium in said lower portion thereof; and further selectably supplying cold to said lower portion of said reservoir ( 14 ) thereby to causing a release of heat from the relatively warm layers of said storage medium in said upper portion thereof, in accordance with the momentary energy requirements of the thermal energy client ( 16 ) and the momentary generation capability of said generation source ( 12 ). 
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 13 , additionally comprising providing a plurality of fluid flow directors ( 22 A,  22 B) configured to assure that the volumetric flow of said thermal energy carrier fluid to the thermal energy client ( 16 ) and said thermal energy storage reservoir ( 14 ) is in accordance with the momentary energy requirements of the energy client ( 16 ) and the capability of thermal energy generated by the thermal energy generation source ( 12 ); locating said first director in an upstream junction (USJ) communicating said generator ( 12 ), client ( 16 ) and reservoir ( 14 ); functioning said first director ( 22 A) to direct the flow of said fluid from said generator ( 12 ) in at least one of two directions, namely towards the client ( 16 ) and/or towards the reservoir ( 14 ); locating said second director ( 22 B) in a downstream junction (DSJ) communicating said generator ( 12 ), client ( 16 ) and reservoir ( 12 ); functioning said second director ( 22 B) to direct the flow of said fluid towards said generator ( 12 ) in at least one of two directions, namely from the client ( 16 ) and/or from said reservoir ( 14 ), being interconnected with the DSJ-USJ supply line;
 wherein the thermal energy consumption of said client ( 16 ) is equal to the thermal energy generation capacity of said generator ( 12 ), circulating said fluid directly from said generator ( 12 ) to the client ( 16 ) via said USJ, and vice versa, from the client ( 16 ) to the generator ( 12 ) via DSJ; and,   wherein the momentary thermal energy requirements of said client ( 16 ) is lower than the thermal energy generation capacity of said generator ( 12 ), supplying only a portion of said fluid from said generator ( 12 ) to said client ( 16 ) via said USJ, and supplying the remaining portion by said first director ( 22 A) towards said reservoir ( 14 ); in case said generator ( 12 ) is adapted to cool the client ( 16 ) (a cooling system), supplying a cold fluid to said lower portion of said reservoir ( 14 ) thereby to cause a release of heat from the relatively warm layers of said storage medium in said upper portion thereof, yet in case said generator ( 12 ) is adapted to heat said client ( 16 ) (a heating system), is supplying a worm fluid to said higher portion of said reservoir ( 14 ) thereby to cause a release of cold fluid from the relatively cold layers of said storage medium in said lower portion thereof; admixing fluids provided from said reservoir ( 14 ) and said client ( 16 ) in said DSJ, and is supplying the same to said generator ( 12 ) by said second director ( 22 B); in a particular case, wherein the momentary thermal energy requirements of said client ( 16 ) is approximately zero, circulating said fluid directly from said generator ( 12 ) to said reservoir ( 14 ) via said USJ, preferably until the temperature of the outlet fluid at DSJ equals the inlet fluid at USJ.   
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the first temperature is higher than the second temperature and the first extreme position is substantially near the top of said reservoir ( 14 ) and the second extreme position is substantially near the bottom of said reservoir ( 14 ); or wherein the first temperature is lower than the second temperature and the first extreme position is substantially near the bottom of said reservoir ( 14 ) and the second extreme position is substantially near the top of said reservoir ( 14 ).